Standing in the Way
by Ukyou Kuonji
Summary: Ukyou attempts to prevent Ranma from carrying out one of his oldest and most fateful promises...
1. An Ounce of Prevention

"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter I - An ounce of prevention  
  
  
It was going to happen. Today. At noon.  
Ukyou had been fully aware that this was going to happen, sooner or  
later, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it. Until now.  
And now she felt powerless to stop it.  
  
  
For years, she had been chasing after Ranma Saotome and his father,  
Genma. Determined to punish them from running out on her engagement  
to Ranma. When she had finally caught up with them in Nerima, she  
discovered that all this time Ranma had been completely unaware of  
the bargain struck between her father and his. Indeed, he hadn't  
even been aware of her gender; otherwise, he would never have  
clobbered her as he had when she challenged him to a duel. She  
couldn't bring herself to resent Ran-chan for his ignorance; besides,  
he really seemed to like her.  
"Kawaii..." Who else had ever called her that? At that moment,  
she couldn't believe it herself; she thought he was just trying to  
get out of the beating he so richly deserved. But when Akane popped  
up, mad as always, she realized that he was too thoughtless to be  
lying. What was that about children and fools always telling the  
truth?  
Ah, yes. Her dear, dear fool. Such trouble his version of the  
truth could get him into with Akane. It was what had always kept  
her hope alive; that one day, he and Akane would face the ultimate  
truth: that they just weren't meant to be a couple, regardless of any  
machinations on the part of their parents. Then he would be free to  
marry her with a clear conscience, his true fiancée, his best friend.  
But now, there was a truth that would take him away from her...   
forever.  
  
  
It took the smell of a burning okonomi-yaki to snap her back to  
reality. So much for that one, she thought as she discarded it  
and started another. Then she stared at the perfect circle of mix  
she had poured onto the grill.  
Perfect. As always. Except for that last one. Burned. She hadn't  
ruined an okonomi-yaki in ages. Was she losing her touch? Again,  
she stared at the sizzling circle. No, this one was flawless, as  
always. All was well here. But her mind and heart weren't in it.  
Not anymore. This really wasn't her first love, after all. Ranma  
came first in her heart. And now, he was going to...  
She couldn't bear to think about it.  
  
  
Suddenly, her eyes turned to steel. She knew what she had to do.  
"Konatsu?"  
The waitress looked up. Setting plates down in from of some  
customers, Konatsu hurried back over to the grill. "Ukyou-sama?"  
"I have to take care of a personal matter. The okonomiyaki-ya  
is yours."  
"Yes, Ukyou-sama." The kunoichi nodded and bowed. He was fully  
aware of the 'personal matter' his mistress was referring to. News  
traveled fast in Nerima, after all. He took a position behind the  
grill as Ukyou headed upstairs to her apartment.  
  
  
There was a photo of her and Ran-chan on the nightstand by her bed.  
She picked it up, and gazed at it. Deep into her darling's eyes.   
She could feel her eyes start to water, and set the picture down.  
No. There will be no weeping. I have been strong thus far. There  
is no point in breaking down now.  
Point... no point.  
Well, if I can't have him... I have nothing left to lose, do I?   
She turned toward her desk, picked up a sheet of cream vellum paper,  
and began mixing some ink.  
  
  
The page filled, Ukyou wandered to her closet.  
  
  
He could hear footsteps descending from Ukyou's upstairs room, and  
he turned around.  
Konatsu blinked. Ukyou stood on the stairway, clad in a spotlessly  
white yukata. No spatulas, but she was carrying a small scroll and  
something else wrapped in kraft paper. He couldn't tell what. She  
smiled, quizzically.  
"Well... how do I look?"  
Like a Greek goddess, Konatsu thought, but couldn't bring himself  
to say it aloud to her. "Ukyou-sama... what are you...? Why..?"  
She smiled grimly at his confusion. "Well, I've got to dress for  
the occasion, don't I?"  
"What occasion do you mean?"  
"What else, Konatsu-chan? The ceremony. Ranma's and mine. The  
okonomiyaki-ya is yours. You know what to do." She crossed in front  
of the grill, and headed for the door.  
"But... will you be coming back later?"  
She paused, then simply repeated, "The okonomiyaki-ya is yours,  
Konatsu. I need to go." And with that, she tore out of the little  
shop. The customers just stared out the door, and then at each  
other. They had witnessed something, but none of them was quite  
sure just what. No one watched as a tear sprang unbidden from   
Konatsu's eyes, landing on the grill with a quiet sizzle.  
  
  
Can't let this happen to him, she thought, as her bare feet  
pounded on the pavement. If I lost him, I just couldn't... I just...  
She didn't want to finish that thought; so she didn't. She focused  
on running, on getting to the Tendo dojo before... before it was too  
late. She clutched the scroll and the other package as tightly as  
she could, and sped up. She could see the digital clock atop a  
nearby building: 11:55. Gotta hurry! Maybe I can still stop this.  
I hope I have the courage, in either case...  
Aha! The Tendo Anything-Goes School! She pivoted on her right  
foot, and charged in at the same speed she had taken to get there.  
It was all she could do not to barrel into Kasumi, who was stepping  
out of the kitchen with lunch.  
"Oh my! Ukyou!"  
"Where is he, Kasumi? Where's Ran-chan?"  
Kasumi looked at her with what may have been infinite sadness, or  
just the simple compassion she always with Ranma's various fiancées.  
"They're out in the courtyard, Ukyou, but this...." Ukyou dashed  
off before she could finish "...is supposed to be a private ceremony!  
Oh, dear. She mustn't interfere with them..."  
  
  
The courtyard. Soun was sitting on the porch of the house, bawling  
his eyes out, as usual. Nabiki was sitting next to him: "Now, Daddy,  
that's enough out of you." But Ukyou could see that Nabiki wasn't as  
cool and composed as she was pretending to be. Her eyes were red  
and puffy, and it was only because her father had his head buried in  
his hands that he didn't notice. Curiously, Akane was nowhere to be  
seen.  
Then she looked out into the courtyard and saw them.  
There was a small white tent next to the pond. The fabric was of  
light enough material that the silhouettes showed through: two  
figures, kneeling in front of a standing figure.  
This was it. This was what she'd come for. To prevent this  
travesty of justice or die trying. She charged into the tent, and  
threw herself down, prostrate, at the feet of the standing individual.  
An individual who, as Ukyou looked up into her face, seemed to be  
the avenging angel of death herself.  
  
  
"MRS. SAOTOME!!" Ukyou screamed "PLEASE!! NOOOOO!!!"  
  



	2. Kuonji for the Defence

ukyoukwnji@aol.com  
  
  
"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter II - Kuonji for the defense  
  
  
"MRS. SAOTOME!! PLEASE!! NOOOOO!!!"  
  
  
Startled by the intrusion, Nodoka Saotome almost dropped her   
katana on the sobbing girl that knelt -- indeed, practically lay -   
on the ground in front of her. Had any other type of ceremony been  
so interrupted -- a wedding, say, or even tea -- she would have been  
furious, and her righteous wrath was widely known to be terrible to  
behold. As it was, Ranma and Genma, who remained on their knees  
behind Ukyou, were about to taste the fullest measure of that wrath.  
Only Ukyou stood -- well, that wasn't *precisely* the word - between  
them and seppuku now.  
It was because of this that Nodoka was not angry. She had no real  
desire to see either of them dead. But honor demanded the deaths of  
her husband and son, in order to fulfill a promise made to her many  
years ago:  
"I hereby swear! I will bring Ranma up to be an exemplary man,  
a man's man. If I fail, despite the odds...Father and son will  
graciously commit seppuku!" Those were the words her darling  
husband had used as he and Ranma left her to train in the Anything-  
Goes Martial Arts. He could not have made a more noble promise to  
her. But he could hardly have failed more spectacularly, nor more  
miserably. And now she was forced to hold him to the other part  
of the bargain.  
The interruption was a welcome relief. It may only stave off  
the inevitable, she thought, but it does stave it off, nonetheless.  
She sheathed the katana, and lowered herself to her knees, in order  
to console Ukyou.  
  
  
"Ukyou, dear. I wish you hadn't come here." she said, as tenderly  
as possible. Well, that's not entirely true, but she really shouldn't  
be here. This will only hurt her more if she's present. She raised  
the girl's chin to face hers. "I don't want to do this any more than  
I imagine you want me to. But honor demands that my husband's  
promise be kept." All at once, she saw something snap in Ukyou's  
eyes. Fire replaced water as the girl spoke.  
"Promise? Who made this promise, anyway, mother Saotome?"  
Nodoka twitched slightly. Ukyou's claim on her son's affections was  
noticeable, and the engagement had some legal basis to it, but for  
the Anything-Goes school to be carried on, there must be a union  
between Ranma and one of the Tendo daughters. Specifically, Akane.  
Not that it mattered now: there would be no marriage to any one. Bad  
enough Ukyou should call her 'mother' when her place as fiancée was  
subservient to Akane; for her to address her as such when it was this  
clear that nobody would *ever* call her that again verged on insult.  
That had been deliberate. What was Ukyou intending to accomplish  
with that remark? Nodoka stood up stiffly, barely managing to  
contain herself sufficiently to reply.  
"I wish you wouldn't call me that. See for yourself." She  
unsheathed her katana, and produced the worn paper that she carried  
around with her in the sheath. "We will commit seppuku - Genma  
Saotome, Ranma Saotome" It was written in Mr. Saotome's hand,  
and Ukyou could feel him shudder behind her as she gazed at the  
page. His thumbprint sat beneath his name, making it doubly official.  
As for Ranma, the page was covered with the handprints of a little  
child, as if he'd been...  
"Fingerpainting! You'd think he was fingerpainting, Mrs. Saotome!  
Ran-chan couldn't possibly had any idea how serious this thing was!  
I'll bet he couldn't have even read it! How old was he when his dad  
wrote this? Three? Four?"  
"Very nearly four, Ukyou. But if a child is to be trained, it must  
be started early. I knew this, even then. But I couldn't bear to  
part with either of my two men until then." Neither can I, Mrs.  
Saotome, Ukyou thought to herself. Nodoka continued:  
"Dearest had actually intended to take him away from me sooner.  
And he spoke truly, that I was interfering with Ranma's destiny. A  
mother's love can spoil a child; make him soft, he said. Only when  
he made this promise would I release them to their training."  
"But you're gonna hold Ran-chan accountable for a promise he  
didn't know he was making? He couldn't possibly have..."  
"...Understood it?" Cut off, Ukyou nodded silently. "No, you're  
right. He couldn't have. I knew that even then. But I trusted my  
husband to raise him properly; I assumed he would explain the  
promise to Ranma when he was old enough to comprehend it."  
"Yeah?! Well, he didn't! So does that mean Ranma still dies for  
Genma's mistakes?"  
Nodoka's voice started to freeze over. "Ranma is the reason my  
husband is dying. Is it any more reasonable that Genma dies alone  
for Ranma's failure?" The suggestion that Ranma was a failure sent  
Ukyou into a paroxysm of rage. She stood up and shook her fist in   
Nodoka's face.  
"Ranma, a failure?! Just because he lands in a cursed spring and  
turns into a woman, you say he's a failure? If your husband can be  
a man's man even though he changes into a panda, why is your son  
not a man's man simply because what he changes into is a girl? It's  
still your son inside that frame you knew as Ranko!  
"You remember? You never could get Ranko to be sufficiently  
ladylike, no matter how hard you tried! Don'tcha get it? It's  
because that was no lady, that was your boy! Your *man*! Your  
man among men!"  
  
  
"*My* man among men." she added quietly.  
  
  
During Ukyou's tirade, Nodoka's eyes went wide for a moment, and  
then a small, sad smile began to play across her lips. Realization  
was beginning to dawn. She thinks this is because of Jusenkyo!  
She shook her head.  
"You're quite right, Ukyou. It *is* what is inside a person that  
counts. And I suppose I should not have forced 'Ranko' to be the  
lady she wasn't, after all." Ukyou begin to look relieved, but then  
developed a look of puzzled consternation. But we're still here,  
after all. There's something else?  
Nodoka continued "The Jusenkyo curse has nothing to do with  
whether Ranma had become a man's man. Once he was cursed, however,  
his reaction to it was shameful and unmanly."  
  
  
"How he... reacted to it?" Ukyou tried to understand that one.  
He didn't like being a girl -- but what's so unmanly about that?  
I'm not sure I'd be too thrilled about landing in one of those things  
and having to actually *be* a boy half the time, either. I mean,  
it just wouldn't be natural. So where's the problem? "It's not  
whether he enjoyed being cursed or not, is it?"  
"No, although it is said that to be truly masculine, one must be  
feminine as well. And vice versa, I would imagine. No, what was  
unmanly about his reaction... was his cowardice."  
  
  
Ukyou was poleaxed. Cowardice? She spun around and dropped to  
her knees to face Ranma. Could it be? Ranma barely looked up from  
his knife into Ukyou's face.  
  
  
"You see? Even now, he hardly dares to look you in the eye, lest  
his eyes meet mine. Do you understand now? He is _afraid_. Of  
his own MOTHER!!" Nodoka's voice rose to a shriek. The sound of  
it startled Ukyou into action. She sprang to her feet and whirled to  
face Nodoka.  
"Well, of COURSE he's afraid. The one person who could offer  
him love, even..." Ukyou shot a dirty look at Gemna, "even TOO much  
love (ha!), and all he sees is that goddam katana! It might as well  
snow hot ash, for all the sense that makes! His mother, who he  
hasn't seen for what? Thirteen years? shows up, for the sole  
purpose of literally taking his head off? Something is terribly  
wrong here! Why WOULDN'T he be afraid?  
"This son of yours has battled bullies, gangsters, monsters, and  
dealt with all manner of trials and tribulations, even in the short  
span of time I've come to reacquaint myself with him. Through all  
of that, he has acquitted himself honorably. He has never shown  
fear throughout any of this; indeed, he's usually fearless to the  
point of foolhardiness. He rushes in and fights, without giving a  
thought to the danger, until it's too late. But he can't fight you...  
you're his mother. He loves you, and wishes that you loved him  
back. That's all.  
"But here you stand..." she reached over and fingered the blade  
of Nodoka's now-upraised katana, "with this in the air. You can't  
embrace your son when you're holding that thing." Ukyou winced  
briefly, and brought her hand down. A thin trickle of blood fell  
from her thumb.  
"And don't try tellin' me that a manly man wouldn't fear this!  
He's been cursed by the Nyaniichuan. He's a *girl* half the time,  
f'cryin' out loud. He figures he's facing certain death If he comes  
to you with that hanging over him. How's *he* supposed to know  
you'd be understanding about his curse? All he knows of you is..."  
She slowly drew her thumb across her throat, and the blood from  
her scratch traced a slash mark across her neck, as if to further  
underline her point.  
  
  
Slowly, the katana was lowered. Mrs. Saotome knelt on the stones,  
gesturing to her side. "Ukyou, dear, sit down here, would you please?"  
Ukyou sat down as instructed, and stared into Mrs. Saotome's eyes.  
It looked as though she would be able to save her Ran-chan's life.  
The very least Mrs. Saotome owed her was a *reasonable* explanation,  
one that she could not refute, before denying her the role of rescuer.  
And an explanation was what she got.  
  
  
"Ukyou, dear, you must understand. I can see that you love my   
Ranma very much, and you don't wish to see him die. And you're  
only a fiancée of his." She acknowledged me as his fiancée!  
Ukyou exulted inwardly. "So I'm sure you have some understanding  
of how I feel about my husband, Genma." Frankly, no. I have *no*  
clue what you *ever* saw in that jackass. "This is my family, here,   
Ukyou. I don't want to do this at all." Then *don't.* Geez.   
Ukyou couldn't help but feel her eyes trying to roll at the obvious  
answer that Nodoka was, for whatever reason, ignoring. "On top of   
this, the Saotome school of Anything-Goes martial arts will be wiped   
out utterly by nightfall. Do you think I want to be responsible for   
that?"  
"Well, no... of course not."  
"No. But dishonor is a terrible thing, especially for a martial   
artist. Dearest may have forgotten that for a while, but it is a   
fate worse than death. Senseis will come and go, but if a dojo   
suffers dishonor, it will take generations before the stain is wiped   
away. If ever. And to fail to raise a child up as a man among   
men... why, if he cannot do so for his own son, how can he be   
expected to do so for a mere student? It would be better if the   
Saotome school were to be crushed by a dojo yaburi. Destruction   
from without, particularly after putting up a good fight, is far   
preferable to rot from within. This would ruin our school's   
reputation beyond repair."  
"Fine. So that's Genma's problem." Ukyou put a slight edge in   
her voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him face   
down on the ground, quaking. She smiled with grim satisfaction.  
"Not only his, dear. If my Ranma is this afraid of me, he is no   
son of mine. He is no more qualified to carry on the Saotome school   
than Dearest is. If the master fears, his student cannot help but   
be afraid. How can he teach Anything-Goes martial arts like this?"  
  
  
"So, that leaves.. what? You're going to carry on the Saotome   
school?"  
"No, my dear." Nodoka's eyes were overflowing now "I shall have   
killed my husband and my only son. My life is over, too. But..."   
she stood up, "I shall accomplish this last task, and fulfill my   
husband's and my son's promise to me. Then I shall join them."   
She stared at the katana blade meaningfully.  
  
  
"I see. So there is nothing I can say to make you change your   
mind?" Nodoka shook her head somberly. "Fine, then!." Ukyou   
drew herself up, took a deep breath, and stood facing her opponent.   
"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. But it is time for actions to   
speak instead. SEPPUKU PREVENTION FINAL ATTACK!"  
Nodoka raised her katana, bracing for whatever Ukyou might throw   
at her.  
Ukyou threw her scroll at her.  
  
  
Fearing the possibility of some sort of magic spell, Nodoka rushed   
to catch the scroll before it hit the ground, katana clattering to   
the stones behind her as she did so. She unrolled it, and read   
the calligraphed kanji, written in the shaky hand of one who fears   
that the words she writes may be her last. Ukyou's hand.  
  
  
Mother Saotome  
If you must kill my Ran-chan  
Then I must die, too  
  
  
Since we cannot wed  
At least we'll be together  
Forever, in death  
  
  
Do this now for me  
Nodoka, my kaishaku  
I will die with him  
  
  
She looked up from the paper to see Ukyou kneeling before her,   
next to her son. She watched, transfixed, as the girl unwrapped the   
kraft paper to reveal a ceremonial dagger.  
Ukyou picked up the dagger and opened her yukata. She slashed   
at her chest, and the bindings she wore out of habit fell to the   
ground. She looked up at Nodoka, a feeble smile on her face.  
"I've never done this before, but I'm told you're supposed to   
write a few lines of poetry as you prepare yourself for death, ne?"  
  
  
--------------------  
  
  
Translation notes: The word 'kaishaku' has been translated roughly   
to mean 'assistant.' Essentially, the task of the kaishaku is to lop   
off the head of the person committing seppuku once the three   
prescribed cuts to the belly have been made with the ceremonial   
dagger. It must be done quickly and cleanly so that the act of   
seppuku is as painless as possible.  
I owe a great debt to Ian Sinclair and Chih-Ping Kuo, the translators   
of "Otoko no Chikai" (The Oath of Men), Chapter 3 of Volume 22,   
where Nodoka Saotome makes her first appearance at the Tendo   
training hall, and Genma's bargain with his wife is explained.   
Genma's vow, both verbal and written, is taken more or less   
directly from that translation.  
  



	3. A Ram in the Thicket

ukyoukwnji@aol.com  
  
  
"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter III - A ram in the thicket  
  
  
"I've never done this before, but this is more or less what you're  
supposed to as you prepare yourself to commit seppuku, ne?"  
Ukyou knelt in front of Mrs. Saotome. Her white yukata was opened  
wide, and she was naked to the waist. She picked up her dagger.  
"Where are you supposed to cut?"  
  
  
Ranma simply gaped at his childhood friend. His astonishment  
at her actions gave way to admiration. Unfortunately, he wasn't  
admiring her courage for standing up to his mother, or her nerve  
as she prepared herself, almost *cheerfully*, to join him in death.  
No, actually, Ranma was staring at her naked chest. How's  
_that_ for a man's man?  
Of course, he had plenty of familiarity with the unclad female  
figure, and not just of his own cursed girl form. He'd seen at least  
two of his would-be fiancées naked before, as well: Akane (that  
was an accident... really!) and Shampoo (that was *her* idea, not  
his). But Ukyou... well, this was something new. He'd never even  
seen her when she wasn't wearing binding. For that matter, did she  
ever *not* wear that binding? But now, here she was, in all her  
glory. Ryoga could get a nosebleed from just a hint of cleavage  
showing between the torn straps than normally held her chest in.  
As he continued to gaze as her, Ranma felt a slight tickle below  
his right nostril. Much to his surprise.  
She's as well built as I am, he realized. He made a quick mental  
calculation regarding the fact that Ukyou was rather taller than his  
girl form, and yet proportionately nearly identical. Kuso! She's  
*better* built than me! For a moment, Ranma forgot where he was  
as a goofy grin spread slowly across his face. Then the tickle under  
his nose grew stronger, and he could taste blood on his lip.  
Blood! Chikusho! If mom thinks I'm being disrespectful... Under  
the guise of prostrating himself before his mother, Ranma brought his  
face down to the ground, so that he could wipe the blood and the  
grin off his face at least _somewhat_ surreptitiously. Looking up  
cautiously, he was relieved to note that she was as transfixed by  
Ukyou as he had been. Presumably for other reasons, though.  
  
  
Nodoka could feel her gorge rise. It was enough she was honor-  
bound to slay her husband and only child, wasn't it? Why... why  
was this girl demanding to be killed, too? This was making it too  
difficult. She had to talk some sense into Ukyou.  
"Ukyou, dear... I can't do this for you. There's no reason you  
have to do this."  
"No reason? You're destroying my reason to live, and you say  
there's no reason?"  
Her reason to live? Isn't that exaggerating a little? There  
*must* be something else. "Well... what about your art? Your  
okonomi-yaki?"  
"My 'art' -- HAH!" Ukyou resisted the urge to spit at Nodoka's  
feet. "What is art without soul? Answer me that, mother." Once  
again, Nodoka winced at the title Ukyou was bestoying upon her.  
"You destroy Ran-chan, you destroy my soul. He is the one I love.  
There is no 'art' without love. Oh, yes, there's still okonomi-yaki...   
but so what? Without love, it is only so much fuel for the stomach.  
I am dead already without hope of love. For you to slice my head  
off here and now would be a mere formality, understand that?"  
"Uh... but seppuku... that's such an extreme measure for you to take..."  
"And it's not for you?"  
Nodoka sighed. Was Ukyou forcing her to explain this oath over  
and over until she made some mistake in its recitation, and  
inadvertently let them go?  
"This is different. Dearest made an oath to me that he would die  
if Ranma was not a man's man. Ranma's fear of me is proof that  
Dearest has failed in his oath. Thus, he and Ranma must die. That  
was the agreement from the beginning. But you know all of this  
already.  
"As for you, you have no oath to fulfill like Dearest and Ranma,  
here. You have no duty that would require you to..."  
"That's not true, mother." Another twitch from Nodoka. "When  
your husband took my father's yatai, I was pledged to go with him,  
and to train with him and Ranma. Eventually, should the fates will  
it, I was then to marry Ranma when we came of age. When your  
husband left me behind, I vowed to hunt them down and seek  
vengeance upon both of them for the way I had been treated.  
"Of course, I discovered that your Ranma was completely unaware  
of the deal that had transpired between our respective fathers, and  
thus ignorant of our engagement. He was blameless, and so I  
renewed my love for him, and my vow to marry him, that I had  
discarded the day your husband discarded me. But *you* know  
all *this*.  
"With this act today, you will be fulfilling my first oath -- that of  
vengeance on your husband -- a thousandfold. In fact, this is far  
beyond any punishment I ever could have imagined visiting upon  
him. But you take Ranma away from me before I can fulfill my  
second vow. This is punishment far beyond any I could have  
expected to fall upon him ...and me.  
"I am nothing, now that my vow of vengeance has been fulfilled.  
I am less than nothing, now that my vow to marry Ranma cannot  
be fulfilled. What point is there for me to go on? At least I can  
die next to my darling Ran-chan, having defended him to the best  
of my abilities. Faithful to the last. His faithful..." she saw  
Nodoka brace herself for the word 'wife' or 'bride', and decided  
not to be so cruel to her. "...his faithful love." There. That's  
true enough. Even if it *isn't* an exclusive love on his part, it  
*is* love. And no one's gonna take that away from me!  
  
  
"Which reminds me... I didn't see Akane when I arrived. Shouldn't  
she be here to give her iinazuke support? Where is she?" As  
despairing as her earlier words had been, Ukyou was surprised  
at how smug her last question had sounded. Well, where *was*  
Akane, after all? At Ran-chan's greatest need, she's nowhere to  
be found. But *I'm* here for him, she smiled to herself.  
Nodoka's response wiped the smile off her face, and chilled her  
to the bone: "She's in her room, resting. She became more and  
more hysterical as the morning wore on, as she realized I was  
utterly serious about this. Once the blades were sharpened and  
the two of them..." she gestured at Ranma and Genma "...entered  
the tent, her hysteria reached a sort of fever pitch, and she became  
rather violently ill. Dr. Tofu had her put under heavy sedation, and  
he and Kasumi carried her to her bed. She may not wake for  
several days."  
Both Ranma and Ukyou jerked their heads up to gape at Nodoka.  
  
  
Akane...  
  
  
Despite being under the same roof as she had been, Ranma had  
no idea about Akane's reaction to his impending suicide. Perhaps  
it was because he and his father had been kept sequestered in the  
dojo since early morning. Perhaps it was because he was too busy  
sweating about his own fate to be concerned with Akane's emotional  
state. Perhaps, having been pounded by her too many times to the  
tune of "Ranma, DIE!" it never occured to him that she might even  
be moved to tears, let alone illness. She...she really *does* care?  
The shock of the news drained the blood from his face. As an added  
benefit, it cured his nosebleed.  
Ukyou blanched at the news as well. While she had always known  
that Akane cared about Ranma, she was firmly convinced that she  
loved him more that Akane did. Perhaps even more than Akane was  
*capable* of doing. But now... now, she recognized what Akane was  
going through... and remembered...  
  
  
Even well-trained runners will occassionally collapse at the end  
of a hard-run race, tired to the point of illness. Ukyou was no  
runner. She was athletic, to be sure, having been trained in the  
martial arts by her father, and having practiced hand-to-hand  
combat against her Ran-chan for some time now. But her prime  
art was that of cooking. 'Make okonomi-yaki, not war,' that was  
the Kuonji creed... at least in jest. It was true, though, that the  
immense combat spatula that was the family trademark was rarely  
used save in the direst of circumstances. And at her tender age,  
Ukyou wasn't even able to lift it. As for running... well, martial  
artists don't generally emphasize running; you're supposed to  
stand and fight, after all.  
So it was no surprise when, after chasing after her father's yatai  
for several kilometers at top speed, her stomach muscles began  
to cramp up. Her legs buckled, and she fell to her knees and began  
to retch violently from the exertion. Tears mixed with saliva on  
the dirt beneath her as she tried to regain her breath, her  
composure... and her stomach. It was a losing battle, just as the  
chase had been. It was all she could do to stagger off the road  
and into a clump of bushes before throwing up and passing out.  
Some well-meaning fellow villager found her in the bushes, and  
carried her back to her parents.  
Ordinarily, cramps caused by excessive running pass in a matter  
of minutes, or at most hours. Ukyou, however, not only did not  
recover quickly, butworsened over the course of the next few days.  
The sickness was not really with her stomach, after all, but with  
her heart. And as she lay in bed, humiliated at her rejection at  
the hands of the Saotomes, she resolved never to let it happen  
again. She willed herself to die. Not physically, but emotionally.  
Indeed, she recovered speedily shortly after her resolution. But  
she had ceased to feel anything... but rage.  
That rage, of course, drove her on until the day she caught up  
with the Saotomes. And when Ranma called her 'cute'... her  
emotions were reborn, like the phoenix from the ashes. She  
had returned from the grave itself.  
But now Akane was doing the same thing.  
  
  
Ukyou couldn't know for sure whether it was a conscious act or  
not (probably not; she's no more able to admit she cares for him  
than he is for her, she thought), but she knew that Akane was  
willing herself dead. So, she loved Ranma that much, too.  
But if she doesn't realize what she's doing...  
She doesn't deserve to die....  
  
  
"Mrs. Saotome! Then listen to me! You may not be able to bring  
yourself to kill me, but don't you realize that's *exactly* what  
you're doing to Akane? Ah..." she raised a hand, as Nodoka  
opened her mouth to protest, "you don't have to lay a finger on her.  
She's willing herself to die, for his sake! She may not know it,  
but she is! And you're the only one who can stop this! Please,  
don't let her die, Mrs. Saotome!" Ukyou then turned toward her  
darling Ranma, tears welling up in her eyes. There was no reason  
to remain stoic anymore. She had lost... or, at any rate, she was  
unable to win, even now, against Akane.  
"Oh, Ranma! I thought I was the only one willing to die for your  
sake!" She threw herself at him, crushing him in an embrace that  
pressed skin to skin from cheek to navel. Nodoka watched, wide-  
eyed, at her son's uncertain reaction. Slowly, he freed his arms  
and set them gently on Ukyou's shoulder blades as she continued  
to bawl onto his already wet yukata sleeve.  
There was a sound of rustling fabric, and Ranma could feel another  
tickle in his nose coming on. Ukyou's breasts were pressed tightly  
to his chest, and his body was responding to the pressure. Oh,  
geez, no. I don't need this embarrassment on top of everything  
else! Where's some cold water when you need it?  
Presently, though, Ukyou could feel it, too, and her sobs cut off  
abruptly.  
"...Ran-chan? Is that...? Are you...?" His hands jumped to her  
shoulders, and he pushed her to arm's length. She looked down.  
*THAT* was making that rustling noise? he thought as he stared  
at the bulge in his drawstring pants. It was so strong, it was  
starting to hurt. Ranma turned a deep shade of crimson, and then  
turned to face his mother. He spoke through gritted teeth.  
"That's it. If I have EVER wanted to die of embarrassment, this  
is it. Let's get this OVER WITH." Ukyou looked crestfallen, and  
then despairing. She reached for her knife as Ranma picked up  
his. Nodoka blinked, then sadly stepped back a step, and raised  
her katana.  
Something was wrong about this scene, she mused to herself.  
Something was missing... something like...  
"GENMA!! He's *gone*!!"   
  



	4. In Pursuit of the Panda

ukyoukwnji@aol.com  
  
  
"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter IV - In pusuit of the panda  
  
  
"DEAREST!" Nodoka shouted as she charged out of the tent.   
Ukyou dropped her dagger and quickly stood up. A quick glance   
at the tent flap, and another at Ranma... and she went down on   
one knee in front of him.  
"You stay here, Ran-chan; maybe I can still plead your case with   
your mom." Her gaze ran down to the source of Ranma's earlier   
embarrassment. And maybe someday I can attend to *you*, too   
Once again, she darted out after Nodoka. "Mrs. Saotome! Wait up!   
Let me help you find him!"  
She didn't have to run far. Nodoka was standing in the middle of   
the otherwise empty courtyard with a confused look on her face.   
And Genma was nowhere to be seen. How did he get away? And so   
fast, too! Even Ukyou shook her head in wonderment: the old guy   
still could put on the speed, when he had to.  
Still, there *were* witnesses. Nabiki was sitting on the porch,   
still trying unsuccessfully to console her father. On the other   
hand, Soun didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything   
but his crying.   
  
  
"Nabiki! Where did he go?"  
Nabiki looked up from her father's shoulder. It was clear she   
was thoroughly uncomfortable trying to comfort him -- this would   
normally be Kasumi's job, after all. But Kasumi was in the kitchen   
(where *else* would she be, after all?), so that meant she was   
stuck with Daddy. "Where did who go?"  
"Mr. Saotome! Didn't you see him run out of the tent?" When   
dealing with Nabiki, even in her present agitated state, It would   
be unwise to betray impatience in one's tone of voice. Ukyou had   
forgotten that rule. And Nabiki heard it.  
A smug smile spread across Nabiki's face.  
"Fifteen thousand yen." It would seem that Ranma's apparant   
reprieve brought her back to her old self. Ukyou, however, was   
not pleased with her restoration.  
"Why? What did *he* pay you to hide him?"  
Nabiki gulped. An angle she'd forgotten to take advantage of!   
And *Ukyou* thought of it first! Oh, damn. I'll be glad when we   
can get this whole thing behind us; this whole situation is throwing   
me off my game. "All right, you called my bluff. He headed out   
the front door. After that, I didn't see which way."  
Ukyou snorted. Some help. "Hmmph. Never mind, then." She   
charged into the kitchen.  
"Kasumi?"  
"Yes, Ukyou?"   
"I'm afraid Mr. Saotome's run off..."  
Oh, I *knew* she shouldn't have interfered! I *knew* she'd cause   
trouble! went through Kasumi's head. All that came out of her mouth,   
however, was the obligatory "Oh my!"  
"Yes. Well... could you help us look for him? I don't have to   
tell you, but Mrs. Saotome wants him back."  
"Why, certainly. I'm finished preparing lunch, so I think I'm   
free. Where would you like me to start?"  
"How about Doctor Tofu's?"  
Nabiki, listening just outside the kitchen door, facefaulted.   
What the...?  
"All right. Just let me put my apron away..."  
"Great! Oh, and if he *is* there...."  
"Yes?"  
"Don't let him leave. Nodoka and I will be by shortly for him."  
"Of course not."  
"Thanks, Kasumi! " Ukyou bounded out of the kitchen. Nabiki   
grabbed her as soon as she was out, and all but slammed her into   
the wall. She thrust her face into Ukyou's.  
"Have you gone NUTS?!" she hissed. Ukyou seemed genuinely   
nonplused.  
"What *are* you talking about?"  
Nabiki relaxed her hold on Ukyou's yukata. Maybe she just doesn't   
*know* about the two of them..  
"Look, lemme give you some free advice. And when I give something   
out free, you better *know* it's important. What are you thinking,   
sending Kasumi to look for Ranma's dad at Doctor Tofu's? Tofu's   
gonna be absolutely useless if she shows up there...  
Ukyou waved her off "Don't worry. I know all about Tofu and   
Kasumi. That's *why* I'm sending her there." Again Nabiki   
facefaulted.  
"This oughta be good..."  
"Y'see, you're right. Tofu's gonna be an absolute wreck in that   
fogged-up condition, so if Genma's there... and Kasumi bars the   
door... just *imagine* the havoc our good doctor is going to wreck   
on Mr. Saotome." Nabiki's eyes popped. My gosh, am I in the   
presence of greatness? Ukyou smiled malevolently, and   
continued:  
"In fact, I'll be disappointed if he's *not* there. Locking him up   
with a love-crazed Tofu should be plenty revenge for my purposes.   
Maybe even a fate worse than death, eh, Mrs. Saotome?" Nabiki   
spun around to face Nodoka, who had wandered inside to find out   
what was going on. The older woman smiled.  
"Well, that may even be a bit excessive. And these things *really*   
should be done properly, in the time-honored traditional manner.   
But that should certainly hold him. Assuming he *is* at the clinic,   
after all."   
"Right. So we gotta head somewhere else to find him. Any   
thoughts?"  
"Well, you know him and his stomach..."  
"Good thinking, Nabiki. So, we're off to the Neko-hanten.   
Come on, Mrs. Saotome."  
"Uh, Ukyou? Do you need my help?" Ukyou stopped in mid-step,   
and practically fell down. "Will you stop acting so surprised?"  
"Well, ah... I really don't think we could *afford* your help,   
actually. I don't have anything with me -- why carry cash when   
you're going to die, after all?"  
"This is a freebie. After that plan of yours with Kasumi and Tofu,   
you have my respect."  
"Stop it, you're making me blush. No."  
"Awww..."  
"Nabiki, why don't you go keep an eye on your dad? I think he   
still needs someone here for him." She turned to Nodoka. "Auntie   
Saotome, could you head over to the Neko-Hanten? I'll catch you   
up in a moment."  
Once Nodoka had left, Ukyou turned back to Nabiki. "Look, if you   
really want to help, maybe you can give Konatsu a call at the   
restaurant. Tell him that I'm all right, I'm still among the living.   
And there's a good chance that Ran-chan and I may well stay that   
way, IF we can find Mr. Saotome. Just tell him that if Mr. Saotome   
(or that big dumb panda that he goes around as) shows up at the   
shop, he should detain him until we can get there."  
"Right." She headed back to the courtyard.  
"Thanks, Nabiki."  
"Anytime." Ack! I can't believe I said that. I hope she doesn't   
take me at my word... Ukyou grinned, as if reading Nabiki's   
thoughts.  
"Don't worry, Nabiki. Your secret's safe with me." And Ukyou   
darted out the door.  
  
  
"Welcome to Neko-Han -- Mother-in-law!" Once again, Nodoka   
winced. Another unwelcome title. "What you doing here?"  
"Erm, anoo... I'm looking for my husband, actually." Cologne   
hopped over to Mrs. Saotome.  
"Wasn't this the day he and Ranma were supposed to...?" She   
was interrupted by Ukyou bursting through the doors, panting for   
breath.  
"Huh-huh. Go-huh-men na-huh-sai. I got here as fast as I could."  
Shampoo took one took at Ukyou and dropped the bowl of ramen she   
was carrying. Her customer didn't notice; he was staring at Ukyou,   
too. So was everyone else in the restaurant. Ukyou scanned the   
crowd, and blushed deeply. "Uh... heh-heh. Sorry about that." She   
wrapped her yukata around herself tightly and retied the belt. The   
peep show over, Shampoo came back to her senses. And she was   
upset, having dropped a bowl of ramen on the floor. She bent over   
to pick up the pieces.  
"What not-nice spatula girl want?"  
"Will you stop calling me that? Look, I'm with her, okay?"  
"Enough of that, girls. Now, Cologne: yes, today was the day the   
two of them were supposed to fulfill their vow to me. But dearest   
appears to have run away again, and we were wondering if you'd   
seen him."  
"I don't think we have..."  
  
  
While Cologne and Nodoka were conversing, Shampoo sidled over   
to Ukyou.  
"Why spatula-girl dress like that in public? Even Shampoo know   
better than that." Ukyou turned crimson once again, but resumed   
a blank face as quickly as possible. This may be a life-or-death   
situation for Ran-chan, but that's no reason for Shampoo to get   
the upper hand.  
"Long story. Didn't expect to be out in public like this, actually.  
Your great-grandmonther doesn't seem to know where Saotome-san   
is... you wouldn't happen to have seen him recently?"  
"Panda-man not been near restaurant all day. What about..."   
Shampoo fought the urge to say 'husband', as she knew Ukyou would   
refuse to acknowledge the question if she did. "... what about Ranma?"  
"No, no, no. We're only looking for Genma. She's already got   
Ranma..."  
"Already... got? You mean... ai ren dead?! Ai-yah!" Shampoo   
fainted.  
Ukyou blinked. She'd never known the Amazon to faint before.  
She must have misunderstood the reply. Oh, well. It appeared that  
Nodoka was not having any luck asking Cologne either, but at least   
Cologne would know that Ranma was still alive, and should be able   
to explain it to Shampoo when she comes to. I don't think I ought   
to be here when that happens, though... She eased her way over   
to Nodoka, who was wrapping up.  
"...well, if you do happen to see him, you will let me know,   
won't you?"  
"Of course, Saotome-san. Good luck with your search." Cologne  
bowed her head as the pair hurried out of the restaurant. She meant   
what she'd said: of all people to understand the necessity of honor,   
and of promises kept, it was the Amazon matriarch. She would   
willingly turn Genma over to Nodoka, should she happen to cross   
paths with him. After all, he meant nothing to her. Ranma,   
however, was another matter entirely; certain matters of honor   
take precedence over other such matters.  
Her musings were rudely interrupted by Mousse's pleadings:   
"Shampoo! Please, wake up!" Cologne spun around to confront   
the boy; first, for having left the kitchen unattended -- besides,   
he was not supposed to mix with the customers in any way, shape   
or form -- and second, for touching Shampoo. He was holding the   
unconscious girl's hand, begging her to awaken.  
Hold it... unconscious? The old crone was horrified at the thought.  
If Mousse had done this to her... he would have rightful claim to her   
affections after all! All thoughts of chastising him were washed   
away. As much as she hated to hear what the answer might be, she   
had to ask him: "Mousse... what happened?"  
"Uh... well... I think she thought Ukyou was saying that Ranma   
was dead. Then she just... fainted." Evidently Mousse was too   
surprised by the truth to lie and claim Shampoo's condition was   
his own doing.  
"Really?" Her relief at the fact that Mousse had not felled her   
was mixed with irritation at the fact that Amazons are not supposed   
to faint. Shampoo had defeated herself. "Well, then, never mind.   
Get back to work, you!"  
"B-but... what about Shampoo?" The boy never gave up on her,   
did he? He's a fool, thought Cologne, but he does care. Well,   
we're going to need her waitressing. The café's backlogged enough   
as it is.  
"All right. You do what you have to in order to revive her. Just   
don't use cold water!" Not that Mousse ever would. He was too   
aware of his own curse to let that happen. But as the old ghoul   
hopped back toward the kitchen, he pondered: how to wake her up?   
Well, how *do* you usually wake up a sleeping princess?  
He leaned over her, and kissed her full on the lips.  
It had the desired effect of waking Shampoo up, and he was   
pleased to note the fluttering of her eyelids as she began to regain   
consciousness. His kiss also had the UNdesirable effect of angering   
Cologne, and the last sensation he would experience for some time   
was the knob of her club on the back of his head.  
"NOT like that." muttered Cologne, although she chided herself for  
not having been more careful with her words. Mousse's body slumped   
on top of Shampoo, which finished waking her up.  
"Mousse! Ai-yah! What you *do* to Shampoo?" As she still felt   
partially responsible for Mousse's actions, Cologne decided to   
downplay matters.  
"It was nothing, Shampoo. He was trying to wake you up." Shampoo,   
however, could figure out what happened.  
"Mousse kiss Shampoo?!" She leaped to her feet, and charged into   
the women's WC. The door shut behind her with a cry of "Bleagh!"   
from the Amazon girl. A few of the customers looked at each other   
and shrugged. At the Neko-Hanten, you got bread *and* circuses,   
and if the service suffered, at least it was always entertaining.  
Panting before the mirror, Shampoo opened the medicine cabinet.  
She grabbed the mouthwash, and proceeded to thoroughly rinse out   
her mouth. The customers could hear her gargling all the way across   
the restaurant. As painful as it may have been to get there, it was   
agreed Mousse was better off in his unconscious state than being   
able to hear this insult. Meanwhile, in a continued effort to freshen   
up, Shampoo decided to splash water on her face.  
Big mistake.  
  
  
Ukyou and Nodoka continued to argue as they proceeded to the   
Kuno residence.  
"...Don't you get it, Mrs. Saotome? *He's* still in there, awaiting   
his punishment. His *teacher* is the one that's run off. You said   
it yourself: 'If the master fears, the student cannot help but be   
afraid.' How could he possibly become a man's man when he's   
learning courage from your mouse of a husband? But he's more   
of a man than Genma is! He's surpassed his sensei. You've   
*got* to give him that much."  
"Perhaps you do have a point. I blame myself for letting his   
father..." Ukyou noted she hadn't referred to him as 'dearest'   
for once "...presume to be able to train him to be a man's man   
when he was not one himself. Still, how would I have known of   
Genma's shortcomings? I assumed as a devoted martial artist -   
and he is one, is he not?" she looked at Ukyou, who made no attempt   
to affirm or refute the statement " -- he had to be a man among men   
by definition. Perhaps you can't know what kind of man he is until   
his life is on the line."  
"Which is why Ranma qualifies as a man's man! Please, Mrs.   
Saotome, I'm begging you..."  
Nodoka deflected the request. "Let's find my husband first...   
"...My goodness!"  
For they were at the Kuno mansion.  
  
  
By Tokyo standards, the Tendo dojo itself is quite an expansive   
residence. Needless to say, it had been handed down through many   
generations of the Anything-Goes school of martial arts, as Mr. Tendo   
would never have been able to acquire such a place, especially with   
the sporadic clientele he currently served. The Kuno family compound   
dwarfed the dojo completely. It surrounded an entire city block with   
its walls. Beyond the walls, one could see the mansion, a vast three-  
story affair, as well as a greenhouse surrounded by black rosebushes,   
and a multi-car garage.  
There was garish statuary littlering the yard. Not just the odd   
Greek sculpture or dragon carvings here and there, but dozens of   
such items, along with a few pink flamingos and a curious-looking   
lawn jockey dressed as a ninja. The ninja-jockey was so realistically   
colored, it almost looked alive.  
Then, it moved.  
Nodoka gasped. Ukyou blinked.  
Oh, that's right. Sasuke.  
The little ninja squirrelled up to the gate and demanded to know   
who wished to speak to the family Kuno. Ukyou introduced Saotome   
Nodoka to him and briefly described their search.  
"I shall summon the master for you at once. Approach the door,   
but do not enter until bidden." And he disappeared.  
  
  
"Aloha!" came the voice from within. Dammit! The Principal!   
Ukyou started to run from the door, but Nodoka held tightly onto her   
yukata belt. As a result, in short order Ukyou found herself sitting   
down in a rather undignified manner: legs splayed out, yukata open   
to the waist, and facing away from the house, so that any passers-  
by would have been treated to the full measure of her charms.   
Fortunately, there were none, leaving Ukyou grateful for small   
mercies. Quickly, she got up, readjusted her yukata, and stood   
facing the door; but not without casting a glance at Nodoka that   
was an odd mix of a scowl and panic.   
Sure enough, Principal Kuno opened the door: "Can I help you   
ladies?" Nodoka understood that Ukyou might have reason to fear   
Mr. Kuno: teenagers universally tend to have problems with certain   
authority figures. But as she took her first look at the Furinkan   
High School principal, she realized that this man was fearsome   
for rather different reasons. This man looked like he could be   
borderline psychotic. Granted, he greeted them with what might   
be considered a big, warm smile; somehow, however, it seemed just   
a little *too* big, and not a little bit demented, either. From   
another perspective, he might just be baring his teeth at them.   
He wore a Hawaiian shirt loud enough to drown out Narita International.   
On top of that, if you'll excuse the expression, he had...  
"Ano... D- do you know there's a palm tree growing out of your   
head?"  
"No, but if you hum a few bars..." and he strummed his ukulele   
for emphasis. Now it was Nodoka's turn to look poleaxed. This   
is their *principal*?  
That's it. I'm gone, and Ukyou slipped past the principal and   
the dazed Ms. Saotome, seeking out one or the other of the Kuno   
siblings.  
  
  
The women's restroom at the Neko-Hanten had been occupied for   
some time, and several of the female customers were beginning to   
complain. Indeed, some customers were starting to walk out;  
fortunately, Cologne saw to it that no one skipped out without   
settling their tab. Eventually, as the lunch hour came to an end,   
the restaurant was completely emptied.  
Confound that girl! What *is* she doing in there? Cologne   
hopped over to the restroom door, where she could hear scratching   
and mewing. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling, and she lowered her   
eyelids on them and sighed heavily.  
"Mousse! Bring us some hot water, now, would you?"  
  
  
Somewhere in the labyrith of the Kuno mansion, Ukyou had met   
Tatewaki. In body only. The meeting of the minds seemed a little   
harder to come by.  
"Look, Kuno... All I'm asking is a little help to find Mr. Saotome   
before Nodoka here takes it out on Ranma alone. We might still   
be able to save him. I know you don't like the guy, but I can   
assure you that you'll rue the day he dies."  
"Hmph. The Blue Thunder would never regret the destruction   
of such evil as embodied in the person of Saotome Ranma."  
Oh yeah? "Well, let me explain something to you. You know   
that pig-tailed girl you always swoon over?"  
"Could the moon forget the sun whose light it reflects? Of course   
I do."  
"Whatever. You know she and Ranma are united body and soul..."   
Ukyou figured she might as well use the same vague wording everyone   
always ended up using with Kuno regarding the identity of his   
precious 'Osage-no-onna' and his archenemy Ranma and their   
relationship. Why hit him over the head with it? On the other hand,   
even if he *was* hit over the head with it, what difference would it   
make, anyway? In either case, Kuno trembled with barely controlled   
fury. Fortunately, it was not directed at her.  
"I have indeed been told of her enslavement to that foul fiend.   
When he has been destroyed, she shall then released from his spell   
and clutches!" He started to laugh, almost maniacally. Ukyou   
clapped a hand over his mouth.  
"Quit it, Kuno. You're starting to sound like your sister."   
Properly chastened, he immediately calmed down. Ukyou removed   
her hand. "And you're partially right. She will indeed be released   
from him. But NOT the way you think." She paused for effect.  
"Well?" Patience was not a Kuno family virtue.  
"Uhm... y'know, maybe you'd better sit down for this..."  
"Fine. I shall." And did. "Well...?" For a second time.  
"Look, this isn't easy to tell you. Now, I don't know if you can   
call what she has for him 'love.' I know, I know... *you'd* refer   
to it as sorcery. Whatever. If he dies, though, she will die, too.  
That's the release I'm talking about."  
Kuno was thunderstruck. "She will... die?"  
"Uh-huh. Call it what you will, she can't live without him, Kuno.  
So she's pledged that if Ranma has to die, she will die at his side,   
having tried her utmost to spare him his fate. Kinda noble, dontcha   
think?" So I'm mixing in part of my own experience, she thought   
It's not as if he'd be able to tell the difference. Kuno actually   
nodded slightly at her comment.  
"Misplaced nobility, in my humblest opinion. But I concur. It is   
most honorable to die in tribute to a loved one. However, that   
misguided devotion requires correction, and to effect that correction,   
she must live. I shall indeed come with you, and make what effort   
I can to spare the life of this heathen -- if only for the sake of my   
pigtailed darling."  
"Terrific. And I'm sure your sister would be more than willing   
to help as well."  
"Quite true. I am certain that the death of that foul cur would   
drive her mad, were it not for the fact that she already is. The   
power that man has over women..." Once again, Kuno shuddered   
angrily. Ukyou set her hand on his shoulder to steady him.  
"Well, would you be a dear and tell her?" She could feel Kuno   
begin to shiver again at her request. "Hey, look, I've gotta rescue   
Mrs. Saotome from your father..."  
"Fair enough, then. Done. And we shall search for Mr. Saotome,   
then."  
"Or that panda the Tendos keep." Ukyou didn't remember whether   
Kuno knew about Genma's curse any more than Ranma's.  
"Their pet panda? Whatever for?" Evidently not.  
"Ah... let's just say he's gone missing, too. If ya happen t'see   
him..."  
"Well, certainly. He belongs to my Artemis, the divine Tendo Akane,   
after all, does he not?"  
"To an extent, I suppose... but more to the pig-tailed girl,   
actually."  
"What?! Then double blessings are mine for his recovery! I must  
be off, Kuonji Ukyou. Thank you for the information. Here, five   
thousand yen for your time." He counted out five thousand-yen   
bills and offered them to Ukyou.  
"Huh?" There was a brief temptation to take the proffered bills,   
but Ukyou decided against it. This was more important that money.   
"I never asked for anything like this. Keep the money, Kuno."  
"Ah. My apologies. Force of habit."  
  
  
A few strategically placed whacks with her cane on the restroom   
knob, and Cologne had freed neko-Shampoo. After applying a dose   
of hot water to the kitten, Cologne explained everything Nodoka had   
told her to Shampoo.  
"So, you see, granddaughter, your husband lives. But we do need   
to find him before that mother of his finds her husband, or they will   
both die."  
"Shampoo no care what happen to panda-man."  
"Quite so, but Ranma's safety is of utmost concern." Shampoo   
nodded vigorously. "We must get to the Tendo dojo immediately."   
And the two of them stormed out of the Neko-Hanten.  
"What we do when we find husband, great-grandmother?"  
"He is no longer safe here in Japan as long as his mother seeks   
his life. He should be more than grateful to go with us now. We   
will spirit him back to the Joketsuzoku. There you two will be   
married in the ancient tradition of the Amazons, and you will have   
restored your honor and position within the line of the matriarchy."  
"Ai-yah! Shampoo so proud to return to royal line of Joketsuzoku!"  
Cologne managed a thin smile as the two of them continued to   
bound toward the Tendo dojo. "Do not count chickens, as the wise   
men say. We still need to find him..."  
"That easy!"  
There was a twinkle in the old crone's eye. Shampoo had her eye   
on the Amazon throne, did she? "...and you still need to outlive me."  
  
  
Ukyou had guessed correctly. Genma had indeed gone off to his   
onetime workplace. And Kasumi was working her usual unfortunate   
magic on Dr. Tofu, with dire results to the hapless panda. Indeed,   
it wasn't long that the beast looked like an articulated doll after   
a run-in with its owner's sadistic older brother. The panda's limbs   
and neck had been twisted in peculiar directions, thanks to the   
inept hands of the lovesick doctor. Signs were littered about the   
room: (That hurt, you know), (You had better not expect payment   
for this, you butcher), and several simply marked (Ouch!). Even   
Kasumi realized what was happening, and sent Dr. Tofu into the   
kitchen to get him away from his mangled patient. And after four   
or five tries, the doctor actually made it into the kitchen.  
With Dr. Tofu safely removed from the scene (well, not all *that*   
safely -- it wasn't too long before there was a great clatter of pots   
and pans, followed by a cry of "I'm all right! Hee-hee!"), Kasumi   
went to work on Genma's spindled joints. She had studied the books   
she had borrowed from Dr. Tofu well; it wasn't but a few minutes   
before the panda was his old shape again.  
(Thank you, Kasumi dear) He spun the sign around (And now, I'm   
afraid I must be leaving)  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Saotome, but I was sent here to look for you, you   
know. I can't let you leave. Auntie will be here shortly to pick   
you up. Until then, I've been told to keep you here." The panda's   
eyes goggled.  
(Kasumi! How could you!) Flip (This is my LIFE that's at stake!)   
Kasumi's eyes flashed briefly, just like when she first discovered   
about his half-informed trip to Jusenkyo with his son. She had   
given him a severe tongue-lashing for having gone too far with his   
training then. It was obvious she wasn't about to sympathize with   
him now, either.  
"Mr. Saotome, we've been over this before. Now, you know I am   
truly sorry this has to happen, but you are a martial artist. At   
least, you're supposed to be. If you're going to make such a   
ridiculous promise as that, you'd better expect that you're going   
to be held to your word. You really shouldn't have make such a   
thoughtless vow, but... what's done is done. You know that Ranma's   
still back there, waiting..."  
(Not only is he not a man, then...) (He's a fool)  
"Yes, Akane's called him that a number of times." The panda rolled   
his eyes.  
(Let me out, Kasumi!) She walked over and stood between him and   
the door.  
"I can't do that, Mr. Saotome. You're to wait here until your wife   
comes to take you back to the dojo. Shall I ask Dr. Tofu to come   
back in here to help me keep you here?" Genma looked nervously   
at the kitchen door, weighing his options. He moved toward her, and   
attempted to push her aside. She pushed back, and Genma was   
surprised at how well she stood her ground.  
"I spend my time in the kitchen these days, but I'm a Tendo, too,   
Mr. Saotome. Father trained me when I was young." She was actually   
starting to push *him* back, now. "Do I have to -- ungh! -- push you   
into the kitchen? I'm not letting you out of here!"  
The panda relented slightly, and Kasumi redoubled her efforts to   
push him into the kitchen now that he wasn't challenging the force   
of her movements to such an extent. Still resisting her with his   
left arm, he pulled out another sign with his right. (Then I'm sorry   
to do this, Kasumi) He took several steps backward, causing Kasumi   
to pitch forward, and nearly lose her balance. The panda spun the   
sign around.  
(But you leave me no other choice.) His other hand clutched the   
sign like a baseball bat, and time slowed to a crawl as he begun   
his swing at Kasumi. Kasumi's eyes nearly popped out of their   
sockets as she realized with some disbelief was Genma was about   
to do, and that maintaining her balance had been the wrong move   
entirely. She screamed.  
"DOCTOR TO--!!" and was cut off as the sign connected, and sent   
her into the wall on the opposite side of the clinic. Her body fell   
to the floor, limp as a rag doll. The panda dropped the sign and   
ran out the door.  
  
  
Shampoo started to outpace her great-grandmother. Cologne was   
not too concerned; after all, Nodoka would probably continue her   
search for some time. The fact that she had left Ranma behind   
and trusted him not to run away indicated that Mrs. Saotome might   
actually, albeit subconsciously, believe the boy was man enough to   
own up to his responsibilities. Which was much more than could be   
said about the man who she was now seeking, the man who supposedly   
taught him.  
"Hurry up, great-grandmother!"  
"No need. He should be there. I will follow at my own pace,   
Shampoo." Shampoo could be forgiven her eagerness, after all,   
this was to be *her* husband. She remembered her own eagerness   
on her wedding day, and smiled wistfully as she continued toward the   
dojo. And such a fine, strong man she has found, too. Yes, these   
two will produce children worthy of the Amazon line.   
Cologne had seen the man she referred to as 'husband-kun' (much   
to his annoyance, but he'd adjust to it sooner or later, she thought)   
in action many times, never backing down from a challenge, even   
occasionally facing death for the sake of his own pride, and sometimes   
for the sake of Akane (much to *Cologne's* irritation). The idea that   
Nodoka thought Ranma an unmanly coward was inconceivable.   
The Tendo dojo was in sight. Cologne applied all her force, and   
the old crone and her staff bounded over the dojo walls. She landed   
in the courtyard, mere inches from the koi pond. She could see the   
white tent that had been set up for the seppuku ceremony.  
Suddenly, a great wail burst from the tent. Cologne came running   
at her great-granddaughter's cry.  
  
  
"Great-grandmother... ai ren GONE!"  
  



	5. Unforgiving Stone

ukyoukwnji@aol.com  
  
  
"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter V - Unforgiving Stone  
  
  
Cologne hopped into the tent after her great-granddaughter. Sure   
enough, the place was completely empty. Well... there were only   
two possibilities. She hopped over to one of the two buckets sitting   
on the stones, and lifted the lid.  
Empty.  
Cologne sighed in relief.  
"Yes, Shampoo. He's gone... from here... but as I told you before,   
he's still alive. And the plan stays in force. All we need to do   
is to find him before she does. And we've got a head start - for   
one, *she* has no idea he's missing." She hopped out of the tent,   
almost musing to herself.  
"I have to admit, I don't understand why she's doing this. The   
terrible things one does in the name of 'honor.'" Shampoo followed   
her into the courtyard.  
"Great-grandmother turn Shampoo into cat in name of honor." she   
said. Not accusingly, just matter-of-factly. Cologne regarded her   
great-granddaughter curiously. Shampoo never brought that subject   
up in her presence before. It was not proper to attempt to reprove   
one's elders, and it was no more proper now than ever. But Cologne   
was forced to admit she had been as wrongheaded as the man Nodoka   
was now chasing when she took Shampoo to Jusenkyo for training.   
The old crone stared thoughtfully at the ground.  
"Great-granddaughter..." Shampoo flinched. She had spoken out   
of turn. "It is not meet to correct one's elders. You know this.   
We know better than you, because we have seen more and learned more.   
But... we are not infallible. Taking you to Jusenkyo was not the   
punishment you deserved. I know that in so doing, I made it just   
that much harder for you to fulfill our Amazon law by capturing   
Ranma to be your husband -- after all, who would marry a woman who   
is a cat half the time?" Out of the corner of her eye, the old woman   
saw tears landing at Shampoo's feet. She looked up to face her   
great-granddaughter, and reached up to touch her chin.  
"Don't cry, child... if that was a real handicap, who would want   
to marry a man who's a woman half the time?" Her eyes twinkled,   
and Shampoo laughed through her tears for a moment.  
And then the girl began bawling afresh.  
"*Everybody* want ai ren. Shampoo only one of so many!"   
Cologne's face wrinkled in disapproval It is not right for an   
Amazon to cry. Then her countenance softened, and she moved to   
embrace Shampoo. Well, we've broken one taboo already. What's   
one more?  
  
  
Dr. Tofu, having heard Kasumi's scream, stumbled through the   
kitchen door as fast as he could go with his glasses fogged up as   
they were. The sight that greeted him, however, cleared them up   
in a hurry.  
His beloved Kasumi lay crumpled limply against the far wall,   
covered in bruises. He rushed over to her, and knelt at her side.  
"K-k-kasumi!" He heard himself stutter, and hated himself for it.  
He gritted his teeth. He could not afford to let the lovesickness   
that frequently hampered his work do so now. If he did, he knew   
that soon there might not be anyone to be lovesick over any more.  
He could see that she was still breathing, however raggedly, and   
thanked the gods for that much. He carried her over to an   
examination table, and laid her down. His hands shook as he undid   
her dress to inspect the extent of her injuries.   
  
  
But even as Genma lumbered out of Dr. Tofu's clinic, he was running   
into more trouble. Tatewake Kuno saw the beast as he made his   
escape.  
The panda! If Kuonji-san speaks the truth, my darlings want that   
beast returned! They will be so grateful! He ran to block the   
bear's path.  
"Stop right there, my ursine friend. You belong to my darlings,   
Tendo Akane and Osage-no-Onna. I must return you to them, and   
their praise, their gratitude, their love shall be mine!"   
The panda's eyes widened. How did Kuno figure out his identity?   
It never occurred to him that Kuno might still have no clue that   
Genma and the panda were one and the same. The fact that he was   
attempting to apprehend him and take him to the Tendo dojo seemed   
to be proof enough of Kuno's new-found enlightenment. He growfed   
as menacingly as he could, despite his fear, and advanced on Kuno.   
Kuno, however, was not moving.  
"You frighten me not, friend panda. En garde!" He swiped at the   
approaching beast, who ducked, and then took a swipe of his own,   
knocking the young nobleman down before quickly lumbering off.  
Even down on his hands and knees, Kuno was undaunted. "Mark   
my words; you shall not escape the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
The sky rumbled, and as Kuno announced his grandiloquent title,   
lightning flashed and struck the panda, knocking him down. A sign   
was knocked from his hand, and flew, spinning, toward Kuno, who   
reached out and grabbed it by the handle.  
(How does he DO that?) Kuno read.  
"The vengeance of heaven is sometimes *swift* and sure." Tatewake   
announced with a thin smile as he strode over to the fallen beast.   
"Regardless, it is on *my* side. You would do well not to challenge   
it next time." He looked over the panda rapidly. Some of his fur   
was singed, but he seemed to be breathing. It looked as if the   
creature would be all right. Thanks the heavens for that. "I am   
sorry to put you in such discomfort, friend panda. Certainly, you   
have done me no harm, that I should bring this down upon your head.   
But I am told you belong to my dearest loves, the fierce and lovely   
Tendo Akane and the mysterious free spirit, my Osage-no-Onna.   
I must return you to them." A noise diverted his attention to a   
nearby rooftop.  
"Sister!"  
Her trademark maniacal laugh alternated with hysterical sobs, but  
it was indeed Kodachi, flying from rooftop to rooftop. At her  
brother's voice, she halted. "Brother dear?"  
"I am in need of some assistance which you might be able to render  
unto me."  
"How can I do anything," she cried out bitterly, "now that my love   
is no longer? I am doomed to be a wandering spirit, restlessly   
seeking the man she loves. And he is dead." She began to weep  
again.  
"He is NOT!" Kuno roared at his sister. Her histrionics often   
tried his patience, and when she spoke of his mortal enemy, that   
foul sorcerer Saotome Ranma, in such tones, it would irritate him   
that much more. Was she baiting him all this time? "Your...   
Ranma..." he fairly spat out the name. "LIVES!"  
The change in her face was dramatic. It lit up like a thousand   
suns, and the radiance itself served to dry the tears from her face.   
She bounded down to her brother, and embraced him.  
"Tacchi-kun, is it true? Ranma-sama lives?"  
Kuno growled. "Yes, it is. And -- I cannot believe I am saying this  
-- I am helping to save him." Kodachi hugged him all the tighter.  
"Oh, Onii-sama! You *do* care for your darling sister!"  
"I must regret to say that I do so not for you, Ko-chan, but for   
my Osage-no-Onna." Kodachi let go, and pushed her brother away   
from her a pace. Her face darkened considerably.  
"The pig-tailed witch?! How dare you?"  
"Hear me out. The day Saotome Ranma dies, my Osage-no-Onna   
has pledged to die as well. They will commit seppuku together.   
Thus spake Kuonji Ukyou but half an hour ago."  
"Well, what of it? I mean no offense to you, brother dear, but I   
care not what happens to her. If she dies, so much the better."  
Kuno contained himself, but he was starting to lose patience with   
his sister. "If she dies, it will be because your beloved Ranma has   
died. Do you understand? As untenable as it may seem, sister dear,   
each of us must save the one we hate to ransom the other we love.   
Who knows? Perhaps our efforts toward their salvation will cause   
our adversaries to renounce their sorceries against us."  
Kodachi stood up and nodded. "Very well, then, brother. What   
would your have me do?"  
"This panda needs to be returned to the Tendo dojo. I have been   
able to subdue him, but he resisted considerably. I fear he will   
neither be brought in quietly nor easily. Have you your ribbons?"  
"The Black Rose would not be so without her tools!" and she   
produced several ribbons. A quick flip, and Genma-panda was   
wrapped up tight as a mummy.  
"Excellent!" Kodachi dismissed her brother's enthusiasm with a   
slight wave. Kuno looked about the street. "Now, all we need is a   
way to carry him back...Ah ha!" A naked flagpole, jutting out from   
a nearby building had caught his attention. He motioned toward it:   
"Can you pull that out and bring it here, sister?"  
"For you, Tacchi-kun, anything." A flick of the wrist, and the   
flagpole was swathed in ribbon. A tug, and the pole was wrenched   
from the wall, taking several bricks out with it. A head peered out  
of a nearby window.  
"Hey, what the heck's the big idea?"  
"A thousand pardons, friend. We are in dire need of a means   
to transport this beast to its rightful owners." The two Kunos   
busied themselves with tying the panda's ankles and wrists to the   
pole as Tatewake spoke. Having accomplished this task, he stood   
up and flung an envelope at the open window. "Would you be so   
kind as to deliver that to this building's landlord? With our utmost   
thanks and deepest apologies, of course."  
The man caught and opened the envelope. Five ten-thousand yen   
notes spilled out! Whoa! He could give three of these to the   
landlord, and he'd probably be satisfied with that. That way,   
he'd still have twenty thousand yen left! He waved gratefully   
at the two strange youngsters on the street below, as they picked   
up the pole with the panda now hog-tied to it.  
  
  
No one would look for me in here Ranma smiled almost slyly   
to himself as he shut the door. He had slipped by Nabiki and her   
father as she was still trying vainly to calm him down. Then he   
turned to face what the room held.  
The way she looked, lying on her bed in her drugged state... it was   
almost like the time she played Juliet (or was it Sleeping Beauty?   
The Furinkan High School drama club played rather fast and loose   
with their Shakespeare). Ukyou had said that she was willing herself   
to die on his account. Could it be possible?  
"Akane... can you hear me?" His fiancée lay still, unmoving. He   
opened up her nightstand drawer and removed a compact mirror, and   
placed it under her nose.  
Okay. It fogged up. She's in there, at any rate.  
"Um... okay, I don't know if you can hear me, Akane... but Ukyou   
told me that you were trying to make yourself die because I was   
about to. I... I never knew. I thought you hated me.  
"I don't know how you feel about me anymore. I wish you'd tell me.  
"I wish I knew..."  
  
  
As Ranma kept his vigil, Dr. Tofu continued his feverish work on   
the other fallen Tendo sister. Once he had undone her dress in   
order to examine her, his glasses had fogged up again. He removed   
them and began wiping them, cursing his own reactions.  
"I'm a doctor. I'm *supposed* to be *professional* about this.  
"And I'm a martial artist. I should have more *control* over myself.  
"Why can't I cope with this?"  
...  
"I have *got* to see Dr. Onozuka about getting contacts." He put   
them on, and peered at Kasumi's body through the once again gathering   
fog. What he could see seemed innocuous enough, actually -- a number   
of bruises, to be sure, but nothing serious externally. He placed   
his hands gently on her ribcage to check for broken bones. His hands   
clenched up as his own body became aware of what he was doing, and   
to *whom*. He gritted his teeth.  
"Come *on*. I've got to restrain myself. Kasumi's depending on me.  
I can't fail her now!" Slowly, his hands made their way down the   
ribcage, to the (gulp) pelvis...  
The doctor pulled his hands away. Okay. Gotta catch my breath.  
Nothing so far, that's good. Now, the legs and arms should be easier.  
They were, and once again, Dr. Tofu could not find any breaks.   
Well... I guess I'm going to have to take an X-ray of the skull.  
  
  
Ukyou and Nodoka continued their search, leaving the okonomiyaki-ya.  
Konatsu had confirmed that there had been no sign of Genma nor the   
panda. They were heading for the clinic to see if Kasumi had located   
him, and nearly barrelled into the Kunos. The pole the siblings were   
carrying fell to the ground with a loud thump and a clang.  
It was, of course, the panda. "Well done, Kunos!" Ukyou exulted.   
Kuno arched his back stiffly for a moment, then offered a bow to   
the girl.  
"'Twas but a mere trifle for the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High."   
Genma-panda adapted a cowering stance (or, anyway, the best cowering  
he could do, wrapped up as he was. He had no intentions of being   
stuck by lightning again.  
"Or the Black Rose of St. Hebereke's. Now, if you'll excuse me,   
brother dear has explained that you are in need of your husband   
too, if Ranma-sama is to be spared. I shall leave the panda in your   
capable hands, and seek your husband out for myself. Ohohohohoho!"   
And with a spray of black rose petals, Kodachi vanished.  
Ukyou looked at Nodoka and shrugged. Well, we couldn't have   
explained anything to her, anyway. Kuno, meanwhile, completely  
ignored his sister's departure, and picked up where he had left off.  
"...Now, Miss Kuonji, you were telling me that both Tendo Akane   
and the pig-tailed girl were in search of this great beast. In   
keeping with that, I shall bid you adieu, that I might bring it to   
them in person." A large sweatdrop appeared between the tangled   
ribbons that swathed the panda's head.  
"Ah... We'd just as soon handle him ourselves, Kuno, if you don't   
mind."  
Kuno would have none of it: "Nay! I shall return him, and spare   
you ladies the strain of bearing him on your shoulders. Besides,   
I would prefer to receive the praise and thanks that are my due   
from my two darlings." Now it was Ukyou's turn to sweat big.  
"Erm... That may prove difficult, Kuno. Y'see, Akane's not at all   
well right now. In fact, she's under sedation..."  
"WHAT! No doubt cause by that foul fiend's sorcery. I must go   
to her anon!" And he sprinted off toward the dojo, leaving the   
panda behind. Once again, Ukyou and Nodoka could merely look at   
each other and shrug.  
"Uh... why don't I run over to Dr.Tofu's and get some hot water?   
Will you be all right watching him by yourself?" Nodoka nodded.   
"I'll be right back, then." She dashed off  
Nodoka sat down next to the panda, eyes steeled, katana   
unsheathed. "I think we're going to need some explanations,  
dearest..."  
  
  
Doctor Tofu was examining several skull X-rays when Ukyou dashed in.  
"Sorry about this, Doctor, but could you spare us some hot water?"  
"Hmm? Oh, good afternoon, Miss Kuonji. Hot water, you say? I'll   
be right with you." His smile seemed rather forced.  
"Something wrong, Doctor? Doctor?" Dr. Tofu snapped out of his   
brief reverie.  
"Oh! Well, not really... nothing broken, as it turns out. It looks   
like she may just have a mild concussion. Should wear off, given   
time and bed rest..."  
Ukyou looked around. "Erm... y'know, I sent Kasumi here to look   
for Mr. Saotome. Has she been here?" The doctor turned toward   
Ukyou, his face white as chalk. He handed her one of the X-rays.  
Patient: Tendo, Kasumi.  
Ukyou facefaulted.  
"What happened?"  
"Well... Mr. Saotome *was* here, but he left. I was in the kitchen   
at the time, but he must have struck her in an effort to leave. She   
looked to be in pretty bad shape when I found her, and I was afraid   
I couldn't do much for her. I'm absolutely helpless around her, you   
know..." His face took on a rather sheepish look. Ukyou smiled   
faintly.  
"I know, sir. Everyone knows." This made the doctor practically   
blush.  
"It took some effort, but I've managed to examine her, and it looks   
like, as I said, she's just sustained a mild concussion. Most of the   
external injuries are pretty superficial, so I think she should be   
all right after all."  
"So where is she, then?"  
"She's in the next room. She's still unconscious. I needed to   
put her there, otherwise I couldn't trust myself not to tear up the   
X-rays or something like that. And we really should get her to the   
hospital and have an MRI done on her - if for no other reason than  
that the sooner she's out of my hands, the safer she'll be." He   
grinned sheepishly. "Anyway... you said you needed hot water, right?"  
"Oh, yeah. Right. Thanks."  
  
  
When Ukyou returned with a kettle full of hot water, she related   
Dr. Tofu's story to Nodoka. The older woman's eyes crackled with   
barely suppressed fury. The panda was sweating profusely by now.  
"...anyway, Dr. Tofu says she'll pull through." She began to pour   
the water over the mass of ribbons that held Genma-panda fast.  
"That's beside the point, Ukyou." Nodoka responded fiercely.   
"I have *never* heard of anything so unmanly." The ribbons fell   
away from the now-human Genma. "How can you *possibly* excuse   
what you've done?" He drew himself up to face his wife.  
"I cannot." Ukyou's jaw dropped. "There is no excuse for what I   
have done, but that the punishment I face far exceeds my crimes.   
I am sorry about what I had to do, but I do not wish to die. I am   
not ready to die...  
"And I'm not about to let you kill me!" And with that, he sprang   
free of the ribbons that had fallen to his feet. He landed on a   
nearby rooftop, from whence he bounded to another, and another,   
and another. Ukyou gaped for a moment, and then blinked herself   
back to reality.  
"We've got to catch him! Come on, Nodoka!" The older woman  
held up her hand.  
"No, Ukyou, *I* have to catch him. This isn't your affair anymore.  
You told me your vengeance could adequately be satisfied by   
Dr. Tofu's... 'ministrations.' That has been accomplished.   
"But after what Dearest has done... I cannot stop now until he has  
joined his fathers. Perhaps he may even do so honorably. You   
return to the dojo." And she bounded off after her husband.  
  
  
Ukyou could not help but marvel as Nodoka leapt from housetop  
to housetop after Genma. So that's where Ran-chan gets that skill.  
Amazing... and they're both well into their *forties*  
She had no intention of going back to the dojo -- she had to see   
what would happen next. Maybe Nodoka would need her help bringing   
him back or something. She followed the pair from the ground,   
looking up to watch when she could, looking down to check pedestrians   
and traffic when she had to.  
The chase wound through the Nerima district, and continued on,   
working its way inexorably toward the business districts. The   
rooftops were now the roofs of skyscrapers, not houses. Still the   
two Saotomes continued their chase. But it was only a matter of   
time before Genma tired and turned to face his wife.  
"Why, Nodoka? Why was it necessary for you to come? I thought   
I had Ranma trained well. He was a magnificent martial artist. If   
you had seen him, you would have been so proud of the man he'd   
become.  
"But you were wrapped up with that 'manly man' stuff. Couldn't   
we have let it go that he was a martial artist among martial artists?   
I knew you wouldn't consider him a man if he was cursed to go about   
as a girl. Acting like a girl's not manly, now, is it? So we ran   
and hid. It was my idea. But I knew. I knew how you'd be. I don't  
care what you told that girl, that Jusenkyo had nothing to do with   
this. It has *everything* to do with it! Because of it, Ranma had   
to act like a girl, especially around you -- because he *was* a girl,  
and not a man anymore. And you'd never let us live if you found   
out." Nodoka slowly continued to advance, katana drawn.  
"I said, I'm not ready to die! Can't you see your way clear to   
absolve me? Throw me out, banish me from your sight... just let  
me live! I did what I could under the circumstances!"  
"I imagine you did indeed do what you could... what you could get  
away with. You stole for food, you bargained your own son away   
several times. And you broke my heart. All this time, you were   
deliberately hiding from me. You never once seemed to consider   
that this was *your* doing!  
"And now, it will be your undoing. My dear... it is time. Before   
the heavens and all these witnesses," she gestured at the people   
on the groud many stories below them, "will you accept your   
responsibility and fulfill your vows to me?"  
The question hung in the air, and it seemed as if time itself held   
its breath for the answer. It came in a great and agonized roar.  
"NO!!" Genma backed away from his wife, and made as if to spring   
to the next rooftop, when his foot slipped off the corner of the roof   
they were standing upon. There was a brief and futile struggle for   
equilibrium, and then...  
The word "NOOOOO!!" echoed through the urban canyon.   
  
  
From some thirty stories below, Ukyou saw it all. She had no   
idea what was being said, but her eyes popped as Genma's foot   
slipped from the corner. Then, yelling at the crowd around her to   
"Get back!" she charged into the building and stormed up the stairs.  
She knew full well how this would end, and had no desire to see it.   
But Nodoka would need help.  
She clambered out onto the roof, gasping for breath, to find Nodoka,  
on her hands and knees, facing the corner from whence her husband   
had fallen. She was weeping uncontrollably.  
"He wouldn't even die honorably..." Only now did Ukyou dare to peer  
over the corner at the chaos below.  
Ranma had survived falls like this before: he and Ryoga had once   
even plunged over a cliff during a fight. But as luck(?) would have   
it, Ranma inevitably managed to land in water, which tended to   
break both fall and ego. There was no great body of water to land   
in here; only cold, unforgiving concrete. There was no surviving   
this fall. Indeed, the impact had rendered Genma virtually   
unrecognizable as human. If Ukyou had felt ill from the exertion   
of climbing so many stairs, the sight below made her positively sick.  
She dropped onto all fours and put her head between her knees to   
keep from actually having to vomit.  
Then, as she began to take a few deep breaths, she heard as the   
wail of sirens mingled with Nodoka's sobs. She took one last breath,  
stood up, and walked back to the older woman, putting her arm around  
her shoulder.  
As gently as she could: "Mother?" No response.  
"Auntie?" Nodoka continued crying, paying Ukyou no heed.  
"Mrs. Saotome? We've got to go. There'll be police up here in no   
time. We really need to get out of here before that happens, or   
we're liable to get into big trouble!" Nodoka now drew herself  
up stiffly, like a statue.  
"No. We stay, and explain it to them. They will understand   
about a debt of honor."  
And much to Ukyou's astonishment, they did. Several other   
ground-level witnesses also confirmed that while Nodoka may have   
chased Genma, she did not touch him: his fall was entirely by   
accident. After giving their statements, the two women were   
allowed to leave. The route back to the dojo was fifty times   
longer than the same one taken earlier that day in pursuit of   
Genma Saotome.  
  
  
  



	6. Greater Manhood Hath No Love Than This.....

ukyoukwnji@aol.com  
  
  
"Standing In The Way" (a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction)  
  
  
Ranma 1/2 and all the characters therein are copyright Rumiko Takahashi  
and are being used without permission.  
  
  
Chapter VI - Greater manhood hath no love than this..  
  
  
Every part of Ukyou's body hurt as she and Nodoka trudged back to   
the Nerima district and the Tendo dojo from the downtown police   
precinct office. Her feet burned from miles of running, as she had   
tried to keep up with Nodoka as she chased her husband from rooftop   
to rooftop. Her eyes and ears had been seared with the sight and   
sound of Genma as he had fallen from the roof of a skyscraper. Her   
lungs ached from tearing up thirty-plus flights of stairs to pull   
Nodoka from the scene. And her stomach was in knots after an hour   
or so of giving statements to the police, compounded by the fact that   
even now, once they returned to the dojo, any efforts she had expended   
to save Ranma had been wasted, and he might still be required to   
perform seppuku. And she had tried so hard, too! It was all she   
could do not to break down then and there.  
For her part, Nodoka continued walking rapidly toward the dojo,   
eyes fixed straight ahead, face expressionless. What is she,   
thought Ukyou, made of stone? Or steel? She glanced momentarily   
at her fiancé's mother, her own eyes brimming as she started to feel   
the full weight of her own failure coming down upon her. There was   
no expression on the woman's face.  
But just as she turned her gaze away from Nodoka, Ukyou caught a   
glimpse of a small sparkle at the corner of the older woman's eye.   
Could it be..?  
Yes. A tear trickled out of the corner of Nodoka's eye.  
"Mrs. Saotome...?" Ranma's mother stopped short. Slowly, she   
turned to look into Ukyou's eyes. The despair the girl could see   
in them was terrifying.  
Nodoka dropped to her knees, and took Ukyou's hand in hers.   
"Please, Ukyou.. could you call me.. 'mother'?  
Her request was so unexpected, and made in such a plaintive   
voice, that Ukyou forgot to be exultant at what could otherwise be   
interpreted as acknowledgment of her supremacy in the ranking of   
Ranma's fiancees. "C-call you.. muh.. muh-mother?" Once again,   
Nodoka winced at the title, or at least appeared to. Her eyes   
squeezed tightly, and her lips pinched together in a half-frown,   
half-grimace.  
Then the dam broke.  
"Oh, Ukyou.. No one will ever call me that again!" Now it was   
Ukyou's turn to feel awkward embracing someone. Mrs. Saotome was   
crying inconsolably on her shoulder - what to do? To say? Then she   
realized what she had been asked to call Mrs. Saotome. She smiled,   
faintly at first, then broadly, before standing up. She offered her   
hand to Mrs. Saotome.  
"Don't cry so.. m-Mother.." As much of a triumph as it was, it was   
still sinking into Ukyou's mind that she had been *asked* to call her   
that. She couldn't get over that! But, she couldn't quite believe   
it yet, either. "You still have Ran-chan. He still wants to love   
you, and for you to be proud of him. I'm sure I can prove him to be   
a man among men yet. I'll bet he's still back at the dojo, waiting   
for us.."  
Nodoka lifted her head, and reached for Ukyou's hand, "I hope   
you're right, Ukyou. I've lost one man already today. I really   
don't want to have to go through this again.." They continued on   
to the dojo, Ukyou's arm around Nodoka's waist as if to support   
her. Nodoka put up no fight. As they walked, Ukyou offered up   
a thousand silent prayers for Ranma.  
  
  
In the courtyard of the Tendo dojo, the situation outside was   
reversed. Another one of Ranma's fiancees was crying on the shoulder   
of an older woman. Cologne's eyes darted about in bewildered   
embarrassment as she continued to hold onto her sobbing granddaughter.  
"Please, Shampoo! It is not a sign of strength to cry. Particularly   
when there is no reason for you to do so." The younger Amazon   
pushed her away to look at her at arm's length. Her eyes were red   
and swollen.  
"No reason? What you talking, Great-grandmother? Ranma not here.   
He run away. He mother right; he no strong man."  
"Shampoo." Cologne's voice was firm and steady. "He is certainly   
strong enough. And as for his mother, well, she doesn't need to know   
what happened to him. Let her think he's run away. We'll find him   
first, and take him away from here.  
"But as he isn't here, we must begin our search for him right away!"  
Shampoo nodded, and followed the old Amazon as she hopped toward   
the gate.  
Which opened just as they arrived at it - to reveal a rather   
surprised Ukyou and Nodoka.  
"Shampoo! Cologne! What're you two doing here?!"  
"We come rescue hus--" Shampoo received a rap on the head from   
her great-grandmother's staff. Gently, not hard enough to knock her   
out, but hard enough to remind her that some things were better left   
unsaid.   
Ukyou winced. Not at the blow Shampoo had sustained, but at her   
words. Children and fools...  
"Okay, Cologne. You're not paying a social call, that's for sure.   
'Fess up. What's the deal?"  
The old crone merely smiled mysteriously. "You can't do anything   
to make me talk. You *know* you couldn't beat it out of me. Even   
*with* your spatula, girl."  
The calmer Cologne's answer, the angrier it made Ukyou. "It's   
something to do with Ran-chan, isn't it? Tell me!" She reached out   
to grab the old hag by her robe, but Cologne nimbly dodged her rather   
clumsy effort, and gave her a gentle knock on the head with her cane   
that sent Ukyou sprawling to the ground.  
"We have done nothing to Mr. Husband. Yet."  
Ukyou propped herself up, and gingerly touched the small lump on   
the back of her head. "Yeah, right. Whadja do, hide him somewhere   
so that you could grab him later when the heat is off and run back   
to your Amazon village?"  
"We no hide ai ren! He gone! He not waiting in tent like spatula-  
girl say..." Both Cologne and Nodoka turned in shock to look at   
Shampoo.  
"What?! Ranma ran off?" Mrs. Saotome clutched the handle of her   
as yet still sheathed katana. She charged past the two Amazons, and   
into the tent.  
Cologne gave Shampoo a swipe on the head. "Why did you *tell*   
them?" she hissed into her ear. "You should have let them find out   
for themselves - AFTER we left."  
"They not let us go, great-grandmother," Shampoo whispered back.   
"This way, crazy woman not watch us - we go." Cologne shrugged,   
and they once again headed for the exit.  
Which was Ukyou's cue to stand up.  
"I don't think so, kids. You're not going until we get some answers.   
I'm gonna keep you here if it kills me."  
Cologne's voice started to ooze menace. "And it may just do that,   
little girl.." She assumed a fighting stance, confident that, without   
her main weapon, her opponent was virtually helpless. She decided   
to toy with her first, and then, since she *was* unarmed, knock her   
out with a simple pressure point. It wouldn't be necessary or   
sporting to just destroy her like this. Just give her the impression   
you might. She'll see reason and back down.  
But Ukyou had come so close to destroying herself already today,   
that any threat Cologne might have thought she posed to the girl was   
negligible. Even now, Ukyou feared that Ranma may indeed have run   
out after all. Which meant the Nodoka would end up still having to   
kill him, and, if so, she would die too. She had nothing to lose   
from fighting Cologne to the death.  
She charged.  
Cologne just sat there, perched on her pole. As Ukyou approached   
her, she decided to continue her bluff. She raised a gnarled finger   
and pointed toward the girl's forehead.  
"Bakusai Tenketsu!"  
Ukyou was undeterred. Ryoga had pulled that stunt on her in jest   
before. She knew it only worked on rocks and other inanimate objects.  
"Nice try, grannie!" She grinned as she sent a right hook to the old   
woman's jaw, sending her sailing into the Tendo residence. Ukyou   
stormed after her.  
As she entered the house, she heard a noise overhead like a   
stampede of buffalo. Familiar voices echoed throughout the dojo.  
"Perfidious swine! What have you done to her?"  
"Look, man, I haven't done nothin' to her, got that? Leave me   
alone! And getcher hands OFF her, you pervert!"  
Ukyou and Cologne stopped their fight. Their mutual goal had been   
acheived: they had found Ranma. Ukyou yelled up at the ceiling,   
"Ran-chan, is that you?"  
"Ucchan! Yeah! Can you gimme a hand up here? C'mon, Kuno, give   
it a rest! Let her be, okay?" A hand? Well, hey. He needs my   
help. Cool. She waved her hands at Nodoka, who had just stepped   
rather dejectedly out of the tent. "He's here!" she mouthed,   
indicating the ceiling, and Nodoka's face brightened considerably.   
Meanwhile, the tussle between Ranma and Kuno continued.  
"How dare you order your sempai around? Hand her over!"  
"Not a chance!"  
"It is *you* who stand no chance against the Blue Thunder of   
Furinkan High!" Lightning crackled outside, as it on cue again,   
but indoors, Ranma was safe.  
"Yeah, sure, whatever. Now get the hell outta my way!" The sound   
of rampaging elephants could be heard once again, and the noise   
began to make its way to the stairs.  
Kuno and Ranma were charging downstairs from Akane's room,   
jockeying for position. Ranma was carrying the still-comatose Akane,   
thus preventing Kuno from passing him on the stairs. Once on the   
ground floor, Kuno elbowed Ranma aside, almost causing him to drop   
her. "Watch it, y'dumb ox!"  
With that, Kuno halted, drew himself up, and proceeded to denounce   
Ranma, to everybody in general and nobody in particular.  
"This foul fiend has been cowering in, of all places, the bedchamber   
of my dear Tendo Akane herself! Defiling the very temple of Artemis   
with his unholy presence!"   
"I just wanted to check on her, that's all! I was worried about   
her, okay?" Kuno paid him absolutely no heed.  
"..To continue his vile sorcery that even now holds her in   
Morpheus' grip! What's more, he -"  
"Uh, Kuno, baby.." Now Nabiki decided to enter the fray.  
"Ah, Tendo Nabiki. Surely you can see reason." He turned his back   
to her, so that he was facing Ranma. He pointed accusingly at Ranma.  
"This despicable car has caused my darling Akane - your sister! -   
such distress as to render her unconscious to the point of death.   
I speak the truth; you know it to be so." As he gesticulated at Ranma  
with his right hand, his left hand, which was behind his back, was   
displaying several 10,000-yen notes which he had concealed up his   
sleeve. As he spoke, he waved the banknotes to attract Nabiki's   
attention. "I demand that he release her from this enchantment   
immediately, and hand her over to me. I will give her the care she   
deserves. Can anyone persuade him to do so?" Nabiki walked up   
behind him and slapped him, hard enough to spin him around. He   
was now facing her, and the left hand, still holding the cash, was   
exposed to plain view.  
"That hurt, Nabiki Tendo." he said in his usual aloof manner. He   
was so absorbed in reproving Nabiki that he had forgotten about   
his bribe.  
"LOOK AT ME if you're gonna talk to me!" she yelled, gesticulating   
frantically in an effort to get the others' attention. Her father was   
the first to catch sight of the wad of bills. He walked over to Kuno   
and clamped a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, his other   
hand pulled the bills from Kuno's hand, and waved them in front of   
his face.  
"Young man.. I believe these are yours."  
As soft as Mr. Tendo generally was, there were times he could be   
hard as granite. This was one of those times. Kuno actually   
hesitated before taking his money back. "I.. uh.. thank you, sir.."  
"Now then, young man.. WHAT were you trying to accomplish with   
this?" Soun's demon head started to fire up.  
Even the Blue Thunder can be grounded now and again. Kuno   
decided upon the better part of valor and beat a hasty retreat.  
  
  
Ranma set Akane down as gently as he could onto the porch. "I see  
you two are back, ne?" he said, smiling grimly at his mother and   
Ukyou. "So... is the ceremony still on? And where's Pop?"  
Nodoka and Ukyou looked at each other. Nodoka nodded at Ukyou,   
and turned toward her son, steeling herself for the news Ukyou was   
about to deliver, the news she already knew.  
"I... I'm sorry, Ran-chan. Your mother was chasing after him, and   
he fell from a skyscraper... He didn't make it."  
There was a great silence. One could actually hear Ranma's eyes   
grow large.  
  
  
"...Otou-san?"  
The boy sank to his knees under the weight of the news.  
  
  
Nabiki reflected that he had never used that word when addressing   
or referring to his father before. It was always 'Oyaji:' old man.   
Anyone could tell Ranma never had much respect for his old man...   
except possibly his old man. Or maybe Genma always just let it pass.  
Or maybe Genma actually knew he wasn't worthy of more respect   
than that, after all.  
  
  
Nodoka smiled sadly at her son. "I imagine it is right to show some   
grief over him; after all, he was the only parent you knew for so many   
years, ne? I am sorry it had to come to this.  
"But I am proud of you, my son. Dearest was a poor teacher; I see   
that now. You have learned far more than he could ever have taught   
you, and I'm not talking merely about techniques. You have learned   
the courage to face up to your shortcomings and weaknesses, and to   
develop strengths to counter them where you can, and accept the   
consequences where you cannot. You have indeed become a man's man   
after all. There is no need for any such ceremony."  
Her face brightened. "You know, as much as I mourn my dearest, it   
somehow seems as if I haven't lost a husband as much as I've re-  
gained a son. You *are* my son after all - and you have returned   
to me after thirteen long and lonely years. I can see that you no   
longer fear me...  
"Of course, now that you've been returned.." she smiled wistfully,   
"it seems a pity that I have to give you away again so soon."  
Ranma had started to relax during his mother's speech, but that   
last sentence got his attention: "Uh.. give me away?"  
"But of course. The school of Anything-Goes Martial Arts needs   
an heir (and, to be honest, I can't *wait* to have grandchildren).   
This means, then, that you, Ranma, will have to choose your fiancee.  
We can't have you stringing all these girls along, and..." her eyes   
twinkled ever so slightly -- he is quite the man, isn't he, to have   
so many girls chasing after him all the time, but -- "polygamy is   
still against the law." A big sweatdrop appeared on Ranma's   
forehead.  
"You mean.. right now?"  
"Why not? They're all here." Well.. except Kodachi. I don't   
think he'd consider her, though..  
"I'm sorry, mom. I can't do that."  
"What?"  
"I said no, Mom. You can't make me choose. Not yet.  
"I dunno if you've noticed, mom, but Akane almost died because  
she thought she was going to lose me. And you've seen the lengths   
to which Ukyou and Shampoo are willing to go to for my sake. No   
matter what you do, if you're gonna insist I choose someone _right_  
_now_, you're gonna be killing att least one of these girls. That's   
not fair! I really do care about all of them, and I don't wish any   
of them to come to harm..  
"Just don't make me do this, okay? Not until the ones I *don't*  
choose are ready to accept it."  
A frown spread across Nodoka's face. "You disappoint me, son.."  
"I see. So, by not choosing, I have once again failed to be a   
man's man in your eyes..." He stood up and walked over to the   
tent, and went in. A moment later, he came out, holding the three   
daggers that had been left behind in the confusion. He set down   
two of them, and holding the other next to his abdomen, knelt   
before his mother, facing the house only a yard away. "..are you   
ready with that katana, mother?"  
No. He was not showing any fear. But Ukyou was right. That   
katana... it really was all he could see when he looked at her. His   
own mother, nothing but an angel of death.  
What else could she do? She unsheathed it, and raised it onto   
her shoulder.  
"NO!" From behind her, a cry of protest. Shampoo?  
The purple-haired girl leaped over her and crumpled at her feet.   
"Ranma mother no kill ai ren! Even if he no choose Shampoo, better   
than he dead. Please!" From behind Nodoka Cologne scowled at her   
great-granddaughter's groveling. This girl is hardly fit for the   
Amazon throne. Should she actually inherit it from me, good heavens!  
There'll be no Laws left unbroken!  
Ukyou knelt beside Ranma and picked up her own dagger. She   
reached over and grasped the hand of the still-comatose Akane,   
and squeezed tightly.  
"You know my offer stands... Mother." Nodoka was back to wincing   
at the title -- had she really given this girl permission to call   
her that? "Do as you think you must, but realize that if he goes,   
we go too."  
All eyes were on Nodoka, or rather, on the sword that had become   
an extension of herself. Even she turned her head sideways, to   
gaze at it.  
She set her jaw, and with a mighty cry of anguish and fury, she   
swung the katana with all her might. Time slowed to a crawl, as   
Shampoo and Ukyou closed their eyes and ducked, while Ranma's   
eyes practically started from their sockets as he stayed frozen in   
position like a deer caught in the headlights of an onrushing truck...  
  
  
The impact shook the walls of the Tendo residence, and broke the   
katana in two. Nodoka had struck the doorjamb with the flat of the   
blade. The pointed end bounced away from the door, and flew,   
spinning, into the koi pond. With a final cry, Nodoka thrust the   
broken portion into the ground just outside the porch. The soft   
earth swallowed the blade to its hilt.  
"That accursed thing has brought me enough misery and blood to  
last seven lifetimes! And I never *once* actually used it! My   
husband ran away from me and died rather than face me because of it.   
And he almost took you with him.  
"I am not this evil beast who wants to destroy you for every   
mistake you make. I am your *mother*, Ranma. Let me *be* that for   
you. But if all you see of me is that katana, then.." she stepped   
on the hilt that stuck up from the ground, and slowly drove it in   
until it was completely buried. "...there. May you see it no more.  
"I release you from your promise."  
  
  
Pandemonium broke loose around mother and son. Shampoo and Ukyou   
squealed with delight and relief. They jumped up and down hugging   
each other. Nabiki collected the daggers from Ranma, and took them   
to the kitchen, where she placed them in the silverware drawer.   
Soun, for his part, was waving the customary white fans showing   
his approval. Cologne merely sat on her cane, nodding sagely.   
"Honor has been satisfied." Still, such a waste of such a fine   
sword...  
Ranma handed his knife to Nabiki with great relief, but made an   
effort to maintain a calm expression. Inwardly, he was grinning   
broadly. Okay, Nabiki. Bring on those playing cards! If I can   
handle bluffing my mom with these kind of stakes, anything you could   
possibly do to me will be penny-ante from now on. This buys me   
some time...  
  
  
"Ungh..."  
"Akane-chan!" Ukyou bounded over to her rival's side. Sure enough,  
she was beginning to wake. There was a clatter of silverware as even  
Nabiki rushed over to the patio.  
"Sis...?"  
  
  
The first face that greeted her, though, was Ranma, who had leaned   
in so close as to block anyone else from her line of vision.  
"R-Ranma? Wuh.. what happened?"  
"Erm... quite a lot, actually..."  
"Ah.. am I dead, then?" Ranma couldn't help but smile.  
"No, Akane. You're fine, and so am I..."  
"Omigosh... you're alive?!" She sat bolt upright. "You're alive!   
Oh, Ranma!" And she crushed him with a great bear hug.  
So this is how she really feels about me? Wish she'd said so   
long ago...  
  
  
As the Ranma and Akane embraced, Soun turned to Nodoka. "All   
will be well. He and Akane *will* marry, after all."  
The Amazon matriarch bounded over on her cane: "No! Ranma is   
Shampoo's husband!"  
Nodoka could only look at the two of them and shrug. "Wh.. well,   
it's not really mine to say, is it?"  
She looked over at the young people, still celebrating both Ranma's   
release and Akane's recovery. At the sound of the older folks'   
conversation, Ukyou looked up, and stared at Nodoka with a look   
of deep sadness. Nodoka gazed at the girl for a moment, and then   
turned back to the other parents.  
"I'm sorry. He'll make his own decision in time. He's my son,  
yes, but he's his own man."  
His own *man*..  
She liked the sound of that.  
  
  
--------------------  
  
  
Author's note:  
  
Oh, MAN. *Finally*.  
  
This whole story started out as a literal nightmare late in June in   
which I had to rescue Ran-chan from his mother's vengeance. I woke   
up in a cold sweat, and was compelled to immediately start putting   
it on paper - and eventually it got posted here to r.a.a.c. It ended   
up being a nightmare in its own right -- I've never written a story   
this long in my LIFE. The blasted thing just wouldn't *end*. Now   
that it has, there are other tales buzzing around my head that need   
to be let loose, and I'm trying to flesh them out for public   
consumption as soon as possible. And no, I'm NOT continuing   
this story, as tempting as the possibility of a union between the   
widow Saotome and the widower Tendo might be at this point.  
  
I'd like to thank my pre-readers, AkaneUsa and PXDN, who got   
previews of each chapter before they were posted to r.a.a.c. and   
sent comments.   
  
Thanks, too, to Andy Combs, my moderator, for helping me through   
some nasty technical difficulties on my first couple of chapter posts   
(and I appreciate all the letters I got from people asking for copies   
of their own. Nothing like a glitch to help you discover if anyone's   
out there reading, ne?) For those of you who wrote to comment,   
I'd also like to extend appreciation; it's always nice for a first-  
timer to receive such plaudits. But I can't let it go to my head:   
there's been a few revisions so I could send this story out in its   
entirety for archival purposes, most of the corrections sent by you   
readers. Thanks for helping me keep everything straight and accurate.  
  
Finally, my deepest thanks go to my darling 'Konatsu', Rei-sama,   
who has kept the Ucchan from falling apart while I've been sitting   
here in the upstairs apartment getting a tan from this computer   
screen. As Shampoo-baka might say: Wo ai ne (hey, I may quote   
her, but doesn't mean I gotta respect her or nothin'). And I mean   
it, too.  
  
I can promise more to come, but not necessarily *when*.  
So, until then..  
  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Ucchan ^_^  



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